This is a brief description of the majestic and picturesque Hellemofjord and Hellembotn in the Municipality of Tysfjord in Nordland County in Norway.
On all tours, we make gáhkko
(traditional Sami bread) and have a story-telling session
around the camp fire in the evening. Oral story-telling is
an important part of the Sami culture and all our guides
have had stories and traditions passed down through the
generations, which they will gladly share with our guests.
According to archaeologists, human settlement in
Hellemobotn dates back around 4000 years. Traces remain of
the earliest residential sites. Even back then, Hellemobotn
was a large village. Although the extent of prehistoric
residential sites is surprisingly high, it can be explained
by the close proximity to natural resources.
The sea and rivers made their
contributions, the surrounding mountains contained rich
stocks of game and the forests were full of edible berries
and vegetables. The climate was a mix of Atlantic and
Continental. All these factors combined to provide a
relatively enriching life, although often involving some
hard work. That is how it remained until modern times.
In the main, Hellemobotn’s landscape remains virtually
untouched despite human influence through the exploitation
of natural resources in order to survive. Hellemobotn has
been spared industrial activities such as the construction
of power stations and mining operations, which radically
change the nature.
The text on this page is written by Kåre Tjihkkom, and is available at the site Hellemobotn - where Norway is smallest.